We do cover this in class but this is the time of year people are getting excited and want to get out on the boat early so here we go. By the way, I just checked and the water temperature today is 37 degrees. The three phases of Hypothermia are: 1 Cold Shock Response 2…
What are the Age Restrictions for a Boat & Personal Watercraft
Here you go guys, take it slow there is a bunch of rules here. Individuals that are 10 and 11 years old can operate a boat solo with their certificate if the motor is less than 10 horsepower. If a boat has a motor of greater than 10 horsepower then individuals that are 10 or…
Take Another Look at “Trim”
Trim affects not only the boats speed and fuel consumption but also the steering ability. If the boat is out of balance due to passengers and or cargo, we may find ourselves going off course or finding the boat difficult to control. As most of us learned in class, always make sure you are doing…
What are No Discharge Areas
“No Discharge Areas” NDA designates waterways where the discharge of any waste, treated or untreated, is illegal and where only Type III MSD’s are legal. While in an NDA locking the door to the toilet with a padlock or door handle key lock is an acceptable method of securing the Type 1 or 2 MSD.…
Riding on the Bow, Deck, or Gunwale
By the books: Riding on a closed bow, gunwale or other areas such as the transom, seat backs, seats on raised decks, or any other place where there may be a chance of falling overboard is considered dangerous and shall not be permitted. Specifically, operators may NOT allow passengers to: Sit or stand on the…
Would You Prevent Boating Accidents if You Could?
It’s that time of year when you have pulled the boat out of the garage or pulled the cover off after a long winters nap, and you are cleaning the boat and waxing up the hull for another fun boating season. I’m sure you have all done your thorough spring inspection as well…hint, hint! Together…
Polluting our Waters: Alarming Stats!
Do you know how long trash that has been thrown in our waters takes to decompose? Are you ready for an eye opener? Keep in mind that the following is 100% avoidable! Your average piece of paper takes 2-4 weeks A piece a wax paper takes 40 weeks A TIN CAN takes 100 years An…
Boat Ramp Etiquette
We are getting close to Boating Season in Connecticut and let’s remember to play nice at the boat ramps. Boat Ramp traffic jams can be prevented if everyone practices common courtesy at the ramp. Be sure you observe these simple courtesies Prepare your vessel for launching and for the drive home well away from the…
What the heck is a Preferred Channel Buoy?
Ah the dreaded Preferred Channel Buoy….what is this beast? This buoy can sink a vessel in the blink of an eye and has been known to cause magnetic disturbances….OF COURSE NOT! This question was emailed to me just the other day so I figured why not blog it. A Preferred Channel Buoy is actually very…